President pleased with JSB progress
President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Chief Dr. John Momis says he’s pleased with progress made at the Joint Supervisory Body meeting held on Friday last week with the Government of Papua New Guinea.
“While there is a great deal of work to be done, we have agreed on many issues that will allow referendum preparations to proceed. We have also built momentum towards resolving other long standing funding issues,” he said.
At the Arawa meeting, the President and Prime Minister Peter O’Neill formally appointed Bertie Ahern as Chair of the Bougainville Referendum Commission (BRC) and endorsed Ruby Mirinka and Patrick Nisira as ABG appointments to the Commission.
The endorsement of Mr Ahern as Chair of the BRC must be followed by formal appointment in the national and Bougainville gazette and the announcement of the two National Government appointees to the BRC which Mr. O’Neill said would be done this month.
On the referendum question President Momis said the leaders have referred for joint legal advice.
“We have agreed to seek joint legal advice to ensure the question or questions to be put comply with the Constitution. We have also committed to another special JSB to be called before the end of July to look at this advice and agree on what the final referendum question or questions will be”, Mr. Momis said.
Joint agreement of the referendum question is critical to have timely and adequate referendum awareness within and outside Bougainville that clearly explains the political issue that will be decided by the people in the referendum.
The joint agreement reached on the criteria for Bougainvilleans to vote in the referendum will now allow registration of voters to proceed in Bougainville and those living in other Papua New Guinea provinces. This will be published in both Bougainville and in a national newspaper.
The agreed funding of K1.2 million that has been made available by both governments to kick start BRC operations will assist this exercise to happen immediately.
The BRC will be working closely with Village Ward Recorders with a goal of having a grassroots check on the accuracy of the roll.
“A truly free and fair referendum will depend on an accurate roll providing all voters with the right to vote,” he said.
President Momis further assured that while the issues to be resolved are difficult, that momentum is building towards better engagement in the joint implementation of the Peace Agreement.
“I thank the Prime Minister and his team of Ministers and officials for travelling to Bougainville and for the work of the two Chief Secretaries in preparing for this meeting through the Joint Technical Team.”
“Time is running short and the time for action is now. Our people are keen to see a clear direction set for referendum, support for weapons disposal, and payment of monies owed to support government services under the Bougainville Peace Agreement.”
Other key issues discussed included endorsement for the second review of Autonomy arrangements with the support of the UN and endorsement of progress in weapons disposal, reconciliations and peacebuilding.
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